1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for squeezing and cutting an umbilical cord, and the device has at least one clamp with two legs interconnected by a hinge at one end of the clamp, and a holder by means of which the clamp can be closed. The holder has a knife cutting the umbilical cord after it has been squeezed by the clamp.
2. General Background
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,517 relates to such a device where the holder consists of a lower part and an upper part interconnected by a hinge. The holder has two grooves into which two open clamps can be inserted. When the holder closes on an umbilical cord, the clamps are also closed. The holder and the clamps are locked in the end position. After the umbilical cord has thus been squeezed in two places, it is cut by a slide and knife being shifted on the holder between the two clamps. The locking mechanism of the holder is then released, and the two squeezed parts of the umbilical cord can be released from the holder.
Because of the two-piece holder and the separate slide this prior art device is very complicated to make. And when the holder is opened after an umbilical cord has been cut, the knife is exposed which has to be considered very unfortunate from a safety point of view.